The Day My Attitude Changed

I was lucky enough early in my quit to have a moment, a moment that would change the way I thought about quitting forever.  I consider myself lucky to have had it because I am not sure I would have ever said I am addicted to nicotine.  You can ask most quitters and they know exactly what day they are on, I have some friends that do that today.  This was a day that changed my whole perspective, and has helped me get where I am today.

I was a basketball coach for 17 years, most of that time coaching a competitive 7th grade boys team.  There is usually one or two kids each year that aren’t the most talented but they give the effort you hope will rub off on the other kids.  This particular year I took one of those kids on my team and a father of another player that was chosen said to me, “You just made his mom’s day.”  What I did not know was that this players mom was diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer at age 32.  She was a person who I wished I met sooner but even though I only knew her a few years, she had one of the most profound impacts on my quit.  She passed away on December 8, 2009, day 48 of my quit.   I posted roll and was reminded by my quit brothers that my dipping would not change anything.  It was later that day that it hit me, the thought of how we complain how “difficult” this quitting thing is.  For 23 years, I intentionally put something in my mouth that had the potential to give me cancer and I complained about how hard it was and this woman got cancer and did nothing to get it.   We should all be so fortunate to have this revelation hit us, we all put ourselves in this situation and got off easy.

I have been reminded about this as this Saturday is the 5K to benefit the foundation she started to help women be aware of the genetic link between breast and ovarian cancer.  I have not been running much as I have been off with an injury and been trying to get back into it.  I don’t care how bad it hurts, I will be there to support the friend that solidified my quit.  On my facebook page there will be a post up that I am out on a run and you can send cheers along the way.  For that day, hit like and think of them as prayers for all the women and families who have had to deal with this.

klark – day 1429